Is depression a reason to smoke or its just addiction?

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   vydyulashashiposted 13 years ago

   Many of them say that since they are depressed they want to have a smoke. They give several reasons like headache, mood off, bad day and try to find out a reason to smoke. Though we know that they are just reasons and not of any helping aid.
   
   Is it really mental related problem?
   Though they try to quit they can't and find many reasons to smoke back again.

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      cosetteposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      
      
      like anything, events or feelings can spark the feeling to start smoking or drinking or eating things you should be smoking or drinking or eating.
      
      i don't smoke but when i am around people who do at things like happy hours or card games, i want to light up, how weird is that? so i can see the allure. or in movies...i think people look glamorous when they smoke. men especially...like thin brown cigarettes... or cigars because cigars are typiclaly all male, like tony soprano, yum.
      
      but, yeah, it's an addiction.

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         vydyulashashiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         it is actually diagnosed as a mental disorder for the people who are addicted to it.
         And many  hospitals have De-addiction centers.they do psycho therapy to quit smoking

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   2. 78

      sofsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      It is habit like any other, the explanations or excuses that people give   are what they believe in  which makes the habit legitimate. It ineeds to be broken like any other habit.

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         vydyulashashiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         yeah it is harmful and must be stopped

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      Merlin Fraserposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Smoking is an addiction, Depression is just an excuse.
      
      All addicts use excuses to continue their habit, not excuses to others, many of whom could care less, but excuses to themselves.
      
      Don't think about quitting smoking do it...!  Don't make excuses like you enjoy it, I can quit any time !
      
      Giving up is in the mind, once your mind is set the rest is easy.  If you fail in the early days don't think of it as failure... Don't quit quitting.
      
      My method, once my mind was made up was to go further and further into the day for lighting up the first one.  Once I had the first I tried not to have another but I never forced the issue.
      
      The next day I try to go a little further and till one day I made through the whole day. 
      
      If you can do one day you can do two.
      
      Another help tip is Reward yourself, Take the money you save from not smoking and put it in a savings account.  Do it every day or at least once a week.
      
      
      How about that computer you couldn't afford.... or a Holiday....

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      jasoncox83posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Coming from a smoker of over 10 years, it boils down to addiction. The addiction though is mostly mental rather than biological IE actual addiction to the products of smoking. The actual habit of having a smoke in our mouth I have found to be the biggest hurdle to overcoming smoking. Even knowing this though I still have been unable to stop.

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      schoolgirlforrealposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I once heard that the majority of smokers are the mentally ill --including depression.
      
      It's not a good thing.
      
      Being depressed, one may smoke because they "no longer care"
      
      Well, you don't have to smoke. I hope you find therapy and focus on pleasant things like water therapy (swimmin) flowers and scent, enjoying nature.

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      schoolgirlforrealposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      on further thought, I heard many medications for people who are m.i. ,
      they find that smoking somehow relaxes them and the chemical imbalance in their brain. Not sure if this is true

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         Dorothee-Gyposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         I never smoked, but my husband did, and he said that he did it strictly for this reason. He suffered from pretty major depression for quite a while and he would smoke until he could feel the nicotine kick in and then he'd stop, which means that he would smoke part of a cigarette and then cut off the end as soon as 'his ears started to ring'.
         
         When we met, he stopped smoking from one day to the other, with no signs of withdrawal AT ALL.
         
         I guess it needs a strong will and self-control to do it that way, but it seemed to work.

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   7. 60

      purpleangel47posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Smoking is a learned habit - meaning that people LEARN to link it with depression, with sex, with stress, with social activity. And since it's learned, it can be un-learned, but because smoking is mentally AND physically addictive, un-learning it is not so easy, which is why people "find" reasons to smoke. But it doesn't mean that they should be smoking.

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   8. 60

      nikki1posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      No, smoking will make your depression worse. You and your family will end up with lung cancer. Instead of discussing your depression with your family and family Dr. Coming up with creative solutions
      to feeling better. Good luck. Life is what you make of it.
      Create your happiness, be around positive people, read motivational materials. Find the root of your sadness,..

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         vydyulashashiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Yeah,you are absolutely rite!

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            nikki1posted 13 years agoin reply to this

            

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   9. 0

      Amie Warrenposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I spent hundreds of dollars buying my ex patches, and he quit on the last pack, and started smoking. His excuse? "I was stressed".  My reply "I raised two kids as a single parent, and never smoked on cigarette. You're just weak."

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         nikki1posted 13 years agoin reply to this

         , he has issues.

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       secretmemoirposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       with addictions, one gets withdrawals that doesn't feel so great, so they have another 'fix'

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   mega1posted 13 years ago

   I think it is mentally related - but many have different reasons for smoking, still the physical addiction is strong so both physical and mental reasons are at work.  In the past when I smoked a lot I often remembered the good times I had when I first started smoking and so if I was depressed remembering these good times along with a cig was something that I did.  It didn't improve my mood, but the cig gave me a boost.  When a person quits they have to examine their own reasons and overcome the mental and the physical addiction, both.

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   1. 57

      vydyulashashiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      you are absolutely right.one must have a strong will and commitment to overcome it

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3. 61

   lady_love158posted 13 years ago

   There isn't any good reason to smoke, we do it because we want to!

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      Home Girlposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Guys, smoke is ADDICTION!  And a bad one. For most people very hard to quit! Depression or no depression.

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   2. 57

      vydyulashashiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      yeah..its an addiction but its a psychiatric disorder.people are not aware of themselves that they are suffering from this mental disorder and look for several reasons to smoke

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4. 88

   Len Cannonposted 13 years ago

   I don't see how one contradicts the other.  A person can smoke because they're depressed AND be addicted.

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5. 63

   Mishaposted 13 years ago

   Is depression a reason to smoke or its just addiction?
   
   Depression? Certainly addiction!

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   1. 57

      vydyulashashiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      many of them start smoking due to depression and get addicted.
      Later for their addiction they give reason as depression or tension..they will be unaware that they got addicted to it.

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6. 69

   Pearldiverposted 13 years ago

   Yep Depression is an Addiction!
   Caused by not using filter tips and as a result of inhalation.

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      Home Girlposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Guys, you smoked too much today!
      Seriously, some people so-o-o addicted to antidepressants, that it is not a joke, it's a murder!

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         Pearldiverposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         I don't smoke or take Benzos.. but I understand what you're saying.... and YOU Should tell the World... it happens in NZ too!

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         vydyulashashiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         antidepressants!!! well they also cause addiction disorder..be careful

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            secretmemoirposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            anti-depressants sometimes come with a warning "may cause depression and suicide"!

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7. 60

   fucsiaposted 13 years ago

   I believe that a depressed condition does not allow the person  to love each other enough not to smoke and to have the strength to quit.

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8. 69

   Leo Collinsposted 13 years ago

   A lack of motivation of comes with depression, and that can make it more difficult for depressed people to quit smoking. To give up an addiction, you have to have motivation and a strong desire to quit, as well the self-efficacy that you can quit. Depression can take all that away.

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      Leo Collinsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Sorry for the typo. It's past midnight and didn't feel like editing myself.

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         vydyulashashiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         i absolutely agree with you Leo..
         people have to get motivated to quit an addiction and its true not only wen it comes to smoking but to all addictions.

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9. 60

   Jaggedfrostposted 13 years ago

   Merlin my friend, until you have had the crushing weight of emotion that won't lift and have been down roads in your mind that you would never willingly venture down it isn't fair to postulate that depression is an excuse.  When you have been down that road, some people would do anything to defray or distract themselves from the pain.  Unfortunately some things people do along that front are just as bad as the condition they are struggling with.

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   1. 57

      vydyulashashiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      yeah depression is one of the major cause for addiction.But some people still continue smoking even after getting out of depression. This cannot be an excuse rather is a pure addiction

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10. 71

    MartieCoetserposted 13 years ago

    A depressed person will try ANYTHING to feel better. Cigarettes just happened to be one of them. If he/she likes the taste and the kick, the result will of course be....  addiction.

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    1. 57

       vydyulashashiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Yeah depression leads to addiction

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11. 60

    Jaggedfrostposted 13 years ago

    The interesting thing about people with mental disorders who use self medication is that if they are properly treated they seem to be able to kick the addiction without remorse in a way that others who are only addicted to the mental or physical presence of the substance cant.  One of the interesting things about smoking though is the oral fixation and social connection that come with smoking.  Both of these creature comforts are not a matter of mental illnesses but must also find substitutes in a smoker's life before they can quit and walk away.

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       vydyulashashiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Its really hard to get away from this horrific addiction which is a result of depression. People sometimes don't think in smokers perspective, but initial steps of taking care of it might be fruitful in future.

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    illeagleposted 13 years ago

    There are many reasons why people start smoking, e.g. peer pressure, rebelliousness, idolatry, but the core reason is that a person is not happy with what they presently believe they are. They think that by smoking they will be able to compensate for their 'flawed' self in some way. I was a heavy smoker for 15 years. It wasn't until I really began to focus on being a whole, complete being that I was able to stop. It's that one delusional thought that leads to all destructive behavior, "I am not what I am supposed to be." Once a person becomes aware of this false thought, they can overcome anything!

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       vydyulashashiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Yeah,strong desire and will power can make a person come out of anything. People really develop psychological dependence on smoking. They feel to get relaxed from depressions,headache etc if they have a smoke

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    Jaggedfrostposted 13 years ago

    Most people aren't what they are supposed to be but that isn't a reason to smoke but to grow and find the magnificence in themselves, expand and spread their wings and fly.  It is such basic instincts that have sent people on quests of great moment throughout all of history.  It isn't a false question but rather a call to greatness.

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       illeagleposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Let me clarify. If I hold the psychological belief that I am flawed, then try to compensate for it physically, will I ever succeed? What must I do to resolve this feeling of inadequacy? The only real solution is to change my belief of being flawed to a belief of being whole. This thought will then permeate the whole of my thinking and allow great moments and magnificence to be achieved! If I hold the belief that my wings are broken, how can I ever fly?

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          GettingRidOfAcneposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          Can I send you a hug?
          
          
          
          Your wings are not broken.. wings are but your breath, your heart and inspiration.

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14. 60

    Jaggedfrostposted 13 years ago

    Well said and I can see your point.

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15. 0

    klarawieckposted 13 years ago

    I have never smoked anything in my life... that's true. But my sister would pick up smoking every time I would end a relationship. My experiences made her anxious. LOL

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16. 59

    GettingRidOfAcneposted 13 years ago

    That's a really tough question!!
    
    Smoking is an addiction.. let us put the 'nicotine' addiction aside...
    
    - It is a mental addiction... I think ever person has their own reasons.. but in general some people:
    
    *Don't want to quit
    
    *Knowing that regardless we will die justifies it
    
    *A way of self abuse
    
    ... Everyone is different though.

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       vydyulashashiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Absolutely! Everyone is different. It is a mental addiction caused by Nicotine LOL.

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          GettingRidOfAcneposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          Hi there:)
          
          I don't personally believe it is simply an addiction to nicotine, it is also an addiction to ... addiction? lol
          
          It's an escape perhaps.

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             vydyulashashiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

             It may be but the people who are addicted to it are not aware of themselves that they are escaping. This is a clinical disorder. What say??

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17. 65

    Ultimate Hubberposted 13 years ago

    For me its just a habit! And it never seems to help my depression!

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       vydyulashashiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       It is a psychological dependence and people get into it because of depression. Its not a cure for depression rather its a cause for many.

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          Ultimate Hubberposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          I don't smoke to cure my depression. Like I said above, it is just a habit.

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             vydyulashashiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

             I know you don't. Its a reason some people say.
             So you don't smoke coz of depression. So are you addicted or just some times??
             Even am addicted...LOL

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                Ultimate Hubberposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                Addicted mate

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                   vydyulashashiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                   Oh! Am seriously trying to get out it. My first success in it is i've reduced the number of cigarettes per day. Finally i should make it zero

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                      Ultimate Hubberposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                      Best of luck!
                      Do tell us when you do.

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                         vydyulashashiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                         Of course I will. Got any ideas??

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18. 61

    Disturbiaposted 13 years ago

    Smoking is gross and I don't know anyone who smokes anymore. Except my oldest daughter and she does it only because she knows it annoys me. I used to smoke myself and the addiction is not "mental" it's just about as physical as it can be.  Your body craves the nicotine and you turn into a complete wackjob if you don't get it. I can't imagine depression or anything else being a reason to smoke, but I'm pretty sure a lot of people get very depressed when they find out that they have some horrible medical condition caused by their smoking.  If you want to treat your clinical depression, go see your doctor. If you are just feeling depressed because your cat died or your lover left you, get out into the fresh air and do something fun to uplift your spirits.  That is much better than turning to smoking or drinking.

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       vydyulashashiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Good tips to quit smoking.

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    habeeposted 13 years ago

    Ugh. It's a terrible addiction! I'm a smoker.

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       vydyulashashiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Am with you.The most terrible addiction.

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    Jaggedfrostposted 13 years ago

    Ask yourself what kinds of situations and or thoughts cause you to crave and see if you can't fill the hole in your heart that makes that pack look inviting.

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21. 0

    Contriceposted 13 years ago

    It's an addictive.  Like consuming alcohol.  It is used as an excuse for behavior that one knows is not good for him.

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22. 61

    wilsonallen01posted 13 years ago

    Hi,
    
    Smoking is just a addiction and nothing else. Every time if you ask smokers that why do you smoke there can be number of reasons but they never tell that they are addicted of smoking. There can be a number of reasons like depression, stress, body aching and most common reason is that "Just for Fun".
    
    Thank You

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       vydyulashashiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       But purely we can't say its an addiction. People start it to get relief like headache, psychological problems etc. But some people start it seeming to be a style,passion or something other. But there are pure psychological dependents who start smoking as a reason of depression and later they get addicted to it. It is called as nicotine induced psychological dependence. We can't rule out purely by saying it as addiction. There is a cause for addiction and people severely try to come out of it but they are unaware of themselves that they are psychologically dependent.

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23. 60

    Dr Ken Romeoposted 13 years ago

    Could smoking help depression?
    This is the real question.
    Nicotine is certainly a known stimulant and smoking releases literally thousands of chemicals throughout the body. We all know that most of these chemicals do nothing more than cause harm. But a few could help a person with depression.
    Am I going to RX smoking anytime soon? No way!
    Can utilizing nicotine be addictive? You bet!

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       vydyulashashiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Yeah. It is called as dependence. The nicotine will cause a feel to relieve something in victim and they really depend on that and finally land into addiction.

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    adeyeraposted 13 years ago

    Smoking can lead to depression. Smoking is one of the vices that is very difficult to give up It can also lead to heart attack and strokes - I'm sure  everybody want to  live a long and healthy life. This is possible only if one stop smoking. Smoking can increase the risk of suffering a heart attack, as well as a stroke.

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       vydyulashashiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Smoking has all sort of harmful effects.

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